Lessons from Easter

Below I have listed, briefly, truths that I have learned or come to understand from the Gospel of John, from the garden of Gethsemane to the Crucifixion. I encourage you to read through an account from one or more of the Gospels as well, praying that God would help you to see him as you should.

1. Caiaphas was married. Annas was his father-in-law. Up until now, I had superimposed Roman Catholicism over Jewish customs in that regard. Interesting, right?

2. It was the leading priests and Temple guards who led the charge to say, "Crucify him!" It was not the masses. Sad how those closest to God's word spoke the most evil about him, behind his back and to his face.

3. Pilate believes that Jesus is the King of the Jews. He first asks Jesus if he is a king, to which Jesus responds, in effect, "Are you asking, or just repeating what you have heard? The second time Pilate asks, Jesus says, "You say that I am a king." A declarative statement. Pilate goes on to try and convince the chief priests and the crowd that Jesus is king, but they do not accept him. Pilate inscribes "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" on a sign to place on Jesus' cross, despite the priests' objections.

4. Jesus said, "I thirst," in order to fulfill what the Scriptures say concerning him. That was a conscious move. Am _I_ actively fulfilling the Scriptures concerning _me_?? What's more, do I even know what the Scriptures have to say about me? Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

I thank the Lord for enlightenment concerning his word. May these days bring you into an especially poignant remembrance and appreciation for the death, burial and Resurrection of God.

Live in Love.

posted from Bloggeroid

Commit

Matthew 27:20-25

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."
Pilate said the them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" The all said, "Let him be crucified!"
And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!"
So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."
And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"

To what extent might a large group be swayed by a select few, that they might deceive even themselves?! To what extent do the immanent convictions and and perceptions of one individual coalesce, knowingly or otherwise, and merge into the ambivalent, instinctual "group mentality" when faced with an imminent decision? How can it be that they who extol at a week's start, become they who execute at its close? _When does Hosanna! become Crucify!_, or praise persecution, or adoration acrimony? How?

Either they do not trust God's power or they do not believe God's word. Or else...they do not know God. If the latter should be true, then the crowd that day was full of *fair weather faith*. Jesus looks alot like God when he is raising dead people to life, granting sight to those who are blind, and feeding many thousands with an extremely limited food selection. When, however, he says nothing and allows himself to be arrested, mocked, and questioned, he becomes the mere scapegoat for our fears and the object of our misguided and groundless blame.

John 10:37-38 If I don't do the works of my Father, don't believe me.
But if I do them, though you don't believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.

"Believe the works at least," said Jesus. But the statement goes further. The point is knowing Jesus as God. We do not get to stop believing Christ once his works become incongruous with our incomplete images of his motivations. If we are not committed to the person of Jesus, then, well, can we really be sheep? Are we not among the goats? *"And All The People Answered, 'His Blood Be On Us And On Our Children!'"

Ezekiel 8:16-17 He brought me into the inner court of Yahweh's house; and see, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh, and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east.
Then he said to me, Have you seen [this], son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger: and behold, they put the branch to their nose.

Ezekiel 9:6 kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don't come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house.

1 Peter 4:17a For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God.

...And you wonder why God will start with his own people.

posted from Bloggeroid